A pensioner, whose son is accused of theft by the community, was frogmarched out of Xigoloza village in Tzaneen by residents.

Police arrested the old man's daughter-in-law.

Dressed in his Zion Christian Church uniform, the pensioner walked down the dusty road between Xigoloza and Mafarana villages carrying his luggage on Wednesday evening.

Some people shouted that the old man's three-roomed RDP house must be burnt but the majority decided against this.

Villagers accused the old man of hiding information about his son's whereabouts.

The man's son is accused of a string of burglaries and theft in the area. The son has been on the run since Monday morning.

Mafarana villagers allegedly found goods stolen from other homes in the old man's house in the neighbouring Xigoloza village.

The pensioner and his daughter-in-law were in the house when police and residents searched and discovered the goods.

Mafarana community leader Peter Mushwana said the old man did not know where his son was and was not aware that his son was a thief.

"Villagers understood his point but later they found out he was lying. That is when they decided to frogmarch him out of the village," he said.

Mushwana said residents spoke to him and agreed that should his son come back home he should inform them.

"The old man failed to alert us when his son showed up in his house on Tuesday evening. So he left us with no choice but to associate him with his son," said Mushwana. He said they alerted the Letsitele police and the local Nkuna Tribal Authority.

"All the goods were transported to the police station."

Warrant Officer Nkateko Nhlangwana confirmed the arrest of the woman.